10 Entrepreneurs Share Their 'Big Dream' for 2017

What will the new year bring for most of us? Hope and fulfillment, pain and suffering? No one knows for sure. As usual, it's a time to evaluate the last year and look forward to the new year. These entrepreneurs have shared their big dream for 2017.

1. "With a new direction for our country led under President-elect Donald Trump in 2017, my new year resolution for our business is to focus on repositioning our brand to emphasize our local expertise in order to compete in our market space. I also want our company to work towards making face time with clients a priority. Communication between clients gets bogged down with email, text messages, and even phone. There's nothing more meaningful and impressionable than speaking with clients face-to-face to not only hear, but see their needs." - Hans Hansson, CEO of Starboard Commercial Real Estate

2. "No seller left behind in 2017. Much has been said about the impact that AI will have on salespeople, with some commentators suggesting that many B2B Enterprise sales jobs will disappear. Through 2017, we all continue on our mission of leveraging AI to help sellers augment their knowledge of what their customers care about. This will help the sellers move up the knowledge curve so that they can anticipate customer needs and become more value-add partners in the buyer/seller relationship." - Donal Daly, CEO and Founder of Altify

3. "I want my company to be known for solving the most challenging and threatening problems that customers have. For my company, that means solving wild energy efficiency challenges like getting a smartwatch to last a year on a paper-thin battery or building wearables that run on body heat and never need recharging. We're starting to solve these problems today, but I want this type of problem solving to be synonymous with Ambiq Micro in 2017." - Scott Hanson, Founder and CTO of Ambiq Micro

4. "I resolve to truly empower our team. If I do this, I know what will happen:

Better decisions - made by the people closest to the actionFaster decisions - minimizes the need to climb up and down the chain of commandStronger execution - people support what they help create.

I need to constantly remind myself that 90% of the time, the team will make the same decision as I will anyway. For the other 10%, 9 times out of 10, they will make a better decision. I will give up that remaining 1% for a better, faster, stronger, organization any day." - Keith Krach, CEO ofDocusign

5. "My wife, Nancy, and I are firm believers that to whom much is given, much is expected. It's the foundation of everything we do. Giving back doesn't mean just donating to non-profits. When you empower your employees to give back, the ripple effect it makes is remarkable. Employees become more engaged and they see first-hand the lasting impact they can have on the community around them. In 2017, we'll keep that giving spirit at the forefront of all we do and provide opportunities for each of our employees to come along on the journey in their own way. Together, we'll grow to give." - Curt Richardson, Chairman and Chief Visionary Officer of Otter Products

6. "In today's economy, people want the most direct path to success without wasting time, money or effort. My resolution is to remain laser-focused on delivering improved outcomes to individuals and employers while closing the skills gap. We are defined by the work we do for individuals who turn to us to advance their lives. Regardless of where others in the industry may have fallen short, there are opportunities--and obligations--for industry innovators to deliver with integrity in the New Year." - Kevin Gillgan, CEO of Capella Education Company

7. "Focus on what truly matters to the growth and sustainability of your company. It is easy to get side-tracked with paperwork or other tasks that are not directly related to growing your business. Especially with the inevitable changes that come along with having a new president in office, organization and having a proper plan in place for any changes that are to come in 2017 will be key." - Dr. Tim Landis, CEO & Founder of Op-D-Op

8. "All Roads Lead to the Customer. The latest form of the 'disrupt or be dethroned' battleground is the customer experience. Customers today expect immediate answers and instant gratification--as well as a personalized touch. Your company may have a fantastic product or service, but if an outstanding customer experience isn't at the center of all your business planning, failure will be the only outcome. Companies that align their business initiatives with customer needs and empower employees with the information and tools to create an outstanding customer experience will gain the advantage in 2017." - Clint Oram, Co-Founder and CMO of SugarCRM

9. "For both my team and my customers, my business goal for 2017 is EMPOWERMENT. As a manager and leader, my goal is to provide my team with the tools, grit, inspiration and most of all confidence to visualize the projects and strategies necessary for advancing our business from the mediocre to the significant." - Billy Polson, founder and CEO of DIAKADI

10. "My resolution for 2017 is to put more focus on reaching out to partners and customers for input that will help guide the next generation of services we provide the industry. As we interact with a rapidly expanding customer and partner base, it will be important to build a solid foundation to ensure that people outside the company continue to play a key role in how we develop and enhance our products. To make this 2017 resolution a reality, we plan to set up external product councils comprised of key customer and partner stakeholders that will help contribute to NinthDecimal's direction." - Michael Fordyce, CEO of NinthDecimal